Dukes confident of replacing red ball with pink counterpart across entire Test cricket landscape

English manufacturer Dukes has suggested the use of a revamped pink ball across all forms of Test cricket in the future.

The visibility against the red ball in poor light conditions has forced several contests to be called off early, an issue that is prevalent in the subcontinent and on sporadic occasions overseas as well.

Dukes, however, has presented a new variant of the pink ball as a potential solution to overcome the hurdle. The pink ball is currently only used in day-night Test matches with its color and lacquer-induced sheen helping the players view it under lights as well without any issues.

The managing director of Dukes, Dilip Jajodia, feels that Dukes' pink ball is superior when compared to other manufacturers in terms of visibility and longevity. He told The Age:

“I have a pink ball that is superior to anything else on the market, which will last 80 overs."

Suggesting that the pink ball could be used in traditional Test matches, thereby eliminating the need for a red ball, he continued:

“There is no reason why we shouldn’t move on to pink balls for red-ball cricket all the time. It doesn’t have to be day-night, it can be during the day, there’s no problem.There is always the question of tradition, 'we must have a red ball for red-ball cricket, we can’t have anything else'. But you’re in the entertainment industry. There are a lot of people who are paying a lot of money and they’re getting shortchanged.”

The pink ball was developed for the day-night Tests since the red ball visibility was expected to be a concern under the lights. Pink-ball Tests have been incorporated into the cricketing calendar, especially in Australia, where Adelaide often plays host to day-night action in whites.

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Dukes currently only operational in England, Ireland, and West Indies

The Dukes red ball often supports a healthy amount of swing irrespective of the age of the cherry. It is used in England for international and domestic competitions as well as in the West Indies and Ireland.

The pink ball is yet to breach the traditional barrier in England, with only one international match played with it. England played a day-night Test against West Indies at Edgbaston in Birmingham back in 2017 and that was the sole entry on pink ball use in the country. SG and Kookaburra are the other prominent manufacturers in the world.

Should the pink ball be used in day Test matches as well? Let us know what you think.

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